Frank Abagnale
Frank Abagnale: The story of a teen con-man
Cassandra R.
457941
CLN-4U0-A
Thursday, December 20th, 2012
Mr. Kontos
An overview: Frank Abagnale was a criminal who pretended to be a pilot, a paediatrician and a lawyer. He is most remembered for his efforts in evading the FBI, and his fraudulent activities that led him to become a millionaire before the age of 20. Though hardly any information is documented about his trials across the globe, Abagnale served minimal prison time in the United States, and was later hired by the FBI to educate others of his methods and thus strengthening the FBI’s fraud prevention units. Abagnale is now a millionaire by his own means, operating a company where he speaks as a guest for government agencies and has developed methods of preventing check fraud.
Frank, the child: Growing up in the Bronx of New York during the '50's and early 60's, Frank’s criminal drive began early in his teen years. After watching the deterioration of his parent’s marriage, which ended in divorce, Frank moved in and out between his parent’s separate homes but ultimately preferred to live with his father. In his book, Catch Me if You Can, Abagnale explains the determination of his mother to move on from her past life, and the same will of his father to hold on. He recalls memories of his father using him as a tool to relay loving messages to his mother, in hopes of winning her back. However, Paulette Abagnale was happy with her new life, and had no intention of revisiting the past. His mother enrolled into college, planning on becoming a dental technician. His father’s homemade business fell from its great success, a blow that Abagnale blames himself for: At the age of fifteen, Abagnale began using his father’s credit card, convincing gas stations employees to charge him for a set of tires, but instead of actually putting them on his car, he would pocket some of the money. This allowed the automotive
Cassandra R.
457941
CLN-4U0-A
Thursday, December 20th, 2012
Mr. Kontos
An overview: Frank Abagnale was a criminal who pretended to be a pilot, a paediatrician and a lawyer. He is most remembered for his efforts in evading the FBI, and his fraudulent activities that led him to become a millionaire before the age of 20. Though hardly any information is documented about his trials across the globe, Abagnale served minimal prison time in the United States, and was later hired by the FBI to educate others of his methods and thus strengthening the FBI’s fraud prevention units. Abagnale is now a millionaire by his own means, operating a company where he speaks as a guest for government agencies and has developed methods of preventing check fraud.
Frank, the child: Growing up in the Bronx of New York during the '50's and early 60's, Frank’s criminal drive began early in his teen years. After watching the deterioration of his parent’s marriage, which ended in divorce, Frank moved in and out between his parent’s separate homes but ultimately preferred to live with his father. In his book, Catch Me if You Can, Abagnale explains the determination of his mother to move on from her past life, and the same will of his father to hold on. He recalls memories of his father using him as a tool to relay loving messages to his mother, in hopes of winning her back. However, Paulette Abagnale was happy with her new life, and had no intention of revisiting the past. His mother enrolled into college, planning on becoming a dental technician. His father’s homemade business fell from its great success, a blow that Abagnale blames himself for: At the age of fifteen, Abagnale began using his father’s credit card, convincing gas stations employees to charge him for a set of tires, but instead of actually putting them on his car, he would pocket some of the money. This allowed the automotive